The Hill's Morning Report — Sponsored by PhRMA — Trump vs. Justice Department (Again) | Spies, lies and crisis? | POTUS meets with South Korea’s President Moon | North Korea summit still in limbo | Primary day in four states | Administration sanctions Venezuela | Anti-abortion leaders rally around Trump | McCarthy denies trying to force out Ryan

Sponsored by PhRMA   © Getty Images   Welcome to The Hill's Morning Report, and happy Tuesday! This daily email, a successor to The Hill's Tipsheet, is reported by Jonathan Easley and Alexis Simendinger to get you up to speed on the most important developments in politics and policy, plus trends to watch. (CLICK HERE to subscribe!)   Oh, to have been a fly on the wall for this one…   President Trump met with Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, FBI Director Christopher Wray, and Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats on Monday amid a high-stakes showdown between the White House and Justice Department (DOJ).   The Memo: Trump flirts with constitutional crisis.   The parties appeared to come to a detente, but how long it will last is anyone's guess.   The Hill: DOJ, Trump reach deal on expanded Russia review. The Hill: Pressure rising on GOP after Trump-DOJ fight's latest turn.   What's new   The Justice Department's Inspector General Michael Horowitz will investigate the president's claims that the FBI spied on his campaign for political purposes. Right now, those claims appear to be an exaggeration, although recent media reports confirm that an FBI informant met with three Trump advisers as part of a counterintelligence investigation during the 2016 campaign. White House chief of staff John Kelly will meet with Trump's allies on Capitol Hill to review classified material, although it's unclear what materials they'll be allowed to review or how the viewing will take place. It's also unclear why the DOJ and FBI are suddenly willing to make these documents available, as Wray has warned that doing so could endanger the informant's life.   How did we get here?   House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) has been demanding documents about the FBI informant for weeks. The DOJ refused to comply with Nunes's subpoena for the documents on the grounds it would imperil national security. Following days of brewing stories about the suspected identity of the informant, Trump blew the lid off the debate, saying that he would "demand" the DOJ investigate the counter-intelligence probe into his campaign. This raised questions about whether the president was improperly using political influence to meddle in an investigation involving his own campaign. The president appears to have gotten his desired result and the Trump campaign is fundraising off the controversy.   What now?   The saga is just getting started. Democrats and the intelligence community are enraged that the identity of an informant is making its way around the internet. Trump appears increasingly emboldened to dictate orders to the FBI and DOJ. The story will play out in leaks to the media, over Twitter and through grave warnings from both sides about a constitutional crisis.   On Monday night, Fox News reported that a group of Freedom Caucus Republicans plans to introduce a resolution today calling for the appointment of a second special counsel to investigate alleged misconduct at the FBI and DOJ. We've been down this road before - Attorney General Jeff Sessions has already tapped U.S. attorney John Huber to independently investigate these matters.   Benjamin Wittes: Trump has created a genuine crisis. David Harsanyi: Let's find out if the Obama administration spied on the Trump campaign.   Elsewhere on the investigatory front…Special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation has been going on for a year and we're still in the dark about the hacking of the Democratic National Committee (The Hill)… New inspector general report to fault FBI for delay in Clinton probe (The Associated Press).     LEADING THE DAY INTERNATIONAL:    North Korea: Trump today meets at the White House with South Korean President Moon Jae-in, hopeful he can clarify Kim Jong Un's intentions in advance of a June 12 summit that remains in limbo.   The Hill: The president meets with Moon in what was originally scheduled to be a sit-down to develop a denuclearization strategy in advance of a historic planned Singapore summit. U.S. officials say they are unclear how Kim expects to proceed. Trump and Moon today will confer about whether a summit should take place, and to what end.   Reuters: Vice President Pence, during an interview with Fox News, repeated that Trump is serious about walking away, if necessary, from any planned meeting with Kim.   Reuters: Western and Chinese news organizations arrived in North Korea today to witness the closure of a nuclear test site, an indication that the pledged North Korea shutdown proceeds amid renewed diplomatic uncertainty.   China: The Hill — Reacting to what the Trump administration describes as a pause while trying to rectify trade imbalances between the U.S. and China, Beijing on Monday praised a recent agreement with the U.S. to call off tariff threats.   The Wall Street Journal: U.S. and China agreed on a broad outline to settle the ZTE controversy. The agreement would lift the ban on U.S. sales of parts and software to the Chinese telecom company and require ZTE to institute major management changes.   Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) panned the administration's trade posture with China this morning:   © Twitter   © Twitter   The Hill: Free traders applauded Trump as a threat of tariffs with China ebbs.   The New York Times: The president defended his trade stance with China in a series of tweets on Monday (The Hill). Trump also repeated his contention that the Obama administration "did nothing" to improve trade with China during his predecessor's two terms (The Hill).   Iran: The Hill — During a major speech on Monday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo promised the strongest sanctions in history on Iran following the president's decision to withdraw from the 2015 nuclear deal with Tehran. He described wholesale changes in Iran policies that the Trump administration seeks (The Associated Press).   Venezuela: The Hill — Trump sanctioned the government of Venezuela on Monday using an executive order that bars U.S. financial "or other" dealings with the government of Venezuela. The executive order followed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro's election to a second term in what U.S. officials called a rigged contest.   On Twitter, Vice President Pence blasted the government of Venezuela.   © Twitter   Congo/Ebola: The Hill — Vaccine medication to respond to a deadly outbreak of Ebola in Congo arrived in the African nation as the death toll mounts and international health organizations work to curb the virus's spread.   ****   CAMPAIGNS:  Trump will address the Susan B. Anthony (SBA) List tonight, where he'll receive the Pro-life Distinguished Leader Award from the group, which opposes abortion rights.   Trump's presidency has been a triumph for the religious right and influential groups like the SBA List intend to reward him at the ballot box.   The SBA List is mobilizing in eight states where Senate Democrats face reelection in states Trump won in 2016. They're working to elect a filibuster-proof GOP Senate majority that can propel the president's anti-abortion agenda.   "President Donald Trump is governing as the most pro-life president in our nation's history… and we look forward to the many victories we can achieve together." — SBA List president Marjorie Dannenfelser.   Evangelicals and anti-abortion voters believe Trump has delivered for them where other Republicans have only talked. They'll stick by him regardless of the moral questions that might arise about his past behavior.   It's primary day…   Voters head to the polls today for primary elections in Texas, Arkansas, Georgia and Kentucky.   The Hill: Five races to watch in Texas. The Hill: Dems expand 2018 message to include "drain the swamp." The Hill: Freedom Caucus bruised but unbowed in GOP primary fights. Ed Rendell: Primaries foretell "Year of the Woman."   Meanwhile, a ghost from the West Virginia primary is haunting Republicans. Don Blankenship, the ex-convict who lost his bid to be the GOP Senate candidate, is planning to run as a third-party candidate. That's bad news for Republican Patrick Morrisey in his effort to unseat Sen. Joe Manchin, who is among the most vulnerable Democrats up for reelection.   The Hill: Progressives on the rise. Doug Schoen: Democrats must choose electable candidates to win big in November. The Hill: Democrats may suffer from California's top-two system.   SPONSORED CONTENT Sponsored by PhRMA   New analysis from IHS Markit shows providing access to discounted medicine prices at the pharmacy could save seniors with diabetes more than $350 annually. Sharing negotiated rebates could also save Medicare nearly $1,000 annually for every senior taking diabetes medication, reducing total health care spending by approximately $20B over the next 10 years. Seniors share the cost. They should share the savings.   IN FOCUS/SHARP TAKES ➔ CONGRESS: House Leadership: The Hill — House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) denies he discussed a plan to force Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) out of the top leadership role in advance of Ryan's plans to leave Congress in January. Ryan has endorsed McCarthy to succeed him as Speaker in a House race that could be upended by November if Republicans believe they are struggling to retain majority control. Reporting Monday by The Weekly Standard described a potential "coup," and prompted McCarthy's public denial.   House - Immigration: The Hill — A sponsor of a conservative immigration measure is pitching changes to his bill and reaching out to House moderates. It remains unclear if Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) is coordinating his outreach with leadership to try to slow momentum behind a rare discharge petition, which with a few more GOP signatures could result in floor votes to weigh a reprieve for young "Dreamers."   Senate - Drug Prices: The Hill — Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), chairman of the powerful Judiciary Committee, is negotiating with major drug manufacturers in search of a deal that might curb drug prices in exchange for other industry concessions. Breaking this morning...the conservative group Americans for Prosperity (AFP), backed by billionaire donors Charles and David Koch, will key vote Right to Try legislation in the House...AFP has been running ads pressuring lawmakers to pass the experimental drug bill.   House Turnstile: The Hill — Former Rep. Charlie Dent (R-Pa.), who recently retired from Congress rather than seek reelection, joined CNN this week as a paid analyst.   ➔  WHITE HOUSE & ADMINISTRATION: Medicaid: The Hill — The Trump administration is surprising some red states that seek to get approval for Medicaid changes. State officials are finding that their requests for some of the strictest proposals to alter the federal-state Medicaid program, such as lifetime limits and partial expansion, are being denied.   CFPB Auto- Lending Guidance: The Hill — Trump signed a joint congressional resolution to repeal the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's guidance issued during the Obama administration supporting nondiscrimination in auto lending. The change was part of the GOP's deregulatory agenda.   Trump's Twitter Ghostwriters: Behind the scenes, West Wing aides intentionally recreate suspect grammar, misspellings and exaggerated punctuation while serving as Trump ghostwriters for Twitter to mimic the president's style and ape for his base what the White House hails as Trump's "common touch," according to reporting by The Boston Globe.   Lobbying & Influence: A new cache of emails obtained by The Associated Press reveals an ambitious, secretive lobbying effort to isolate Qatar and undermine the Pentagon's long relationship with the Gulf country.   Economy & Public Opinion: Sixty-seven percent of Americans believe that now is a good time to find a quality job in the U.S., the highest percentage in 17 years of Gallup polling. Optimism about the availability of good jobs has grown by 25 percentage points since Trump was elected, the polling firm reported Monday.   OPINION Pompeo raises the bar on a deal with Iran, by Benjamin Ben Taleblu, The Hill. https://bit.ly/2ICh26m   Americans have not forgiven Wall Street for the financial crisis, by Brad Miller, The Hill. https://bit.ly/2IFunXQ   WHERE AND WHEN The House meets for legislative business at 11 a.m.   The Senate will vote on Dana Baiocco to be commissioner of the Consumer Product Safety Commission at noon, before breaking for weekly conference meetings.   President Trump will host meetings and a working lunch with Moon of South Korea. Later he'll meet with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. In the evening, the president will speak at the Susan B. Anthony List's 11th annual "Campaign for Life" gala at the National Building Museum in Washington.   The Hill hosts a newsmaker event this morning, "America's Opioid Epidemic: Youth Awareness and Prevention," featuring Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), to be moderated by Editor-in-Chief Bob Cusack at 8 a.m. at Washington's Newseum. Sponsors: EVERFI and the Prescription Drug Safety Network.   ELSEWHERE > Supreme Court upholds agreements that prevent employee class-action suits, by Lydia Wheeler, The Hill. https://bit.ly/2kfALdK   > They saw the Earth from space. Here's how it changed them, by Nadia Drake, National Geographic magazine. https://on.natgeo.com/2FALxVw   > The State Department dropped a plan to declare Russia a state sponsor of terror following a lethal nerve agent attack in London, by Sebastian Rotella, ProPublica. https://bit.ly/2rXeyV8   THE CLOSER In the old days, former presidents figured to cash in on the speaking circuit, on their door-stop memoirs, and by joining corporate boards. Former President Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama are doing most of that, and also just landed a multi-year deal for original content with online streaming behemoth Netflix. The terms of the contract were not disclosed, but the Obamas' new production company is called Higher Ground Productions.   © Twitter   And finally … it's tradition for plebes at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., to band together to shimmy up a lard-covered stone obelisk annually. Once at the top of the 21-foot Herndon Monument, a grease-coated winner marks the official end of the year with a swapping of hats. This industrious ritual took more than two hours to complete on Monday...   © Getty Images   The Morning Report is created by journalists Jonathan Easley jeasley@thehill.com & Alexis Simendinger asimendinger@thehill.com. Suggestions? Tips? We want to hear from you! Share The Hill's reporting and newsletters, and encourage others to SUBSCRIBE!   To view past editions of The Hill's Morning Report CLICK HERE To receive The Hill's Morning Report in your inbox SIGN UP HERE Morning Report Sign Up FORWARD Morning Report Privacy Policy  |  Manage Subscriptions  |  Unsubscribe Email to a friend  |  Sign Up for Other Newsletters The Hill 1625 K Street, NW 9th Floor, Washington DC 20006 ©2018 Capitol Hill Publishing Corp., a subsidiary of News Communications, Inc.

DAILY DOSE: Blueprint

Torah is not a book that records world history. It is the blueprint for us to create it. Torah is not a book. It is the blueprint by which t

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Daily Dose

Blueprint By Tzvi Freeman Torah is not a book. It is the blueprint by which the world was designed. Those who know how to learn it can find everything that exists in Torah. And every thing that must be. Even more: In any one concept of Torah you can find the entire world. And how it must be. And then, the Torah leaves it up to you to make it that way. By Tzvi Freeman From the wisdom of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, of righteous memory; words and condensation by Rabbi Tzvi Freeman. Subscribe and get your dose daily. Or order Rabbi Freeman's book, Bringing Heaven Down to Earth, click here. Print Page   ·   Read Online   ·   Discuss   ·   Share on Facebook This email was sent to: tweatsho.email004@blogger.com Change email address · Manage Subscriptions · Going on Vacation? · Unsubscribe Tip: To ensure that our emails continue to be delivered to your inbox, add subscriptions@chabad.org to your address book or "whitelist" it in any filters or anti-spam programs you may have. © Copyright Chabad.org, all rights reserved. Privacy Policy Chabad.org · Ask the Rabbi · Contact Us · Donate

News Alert: Pressure rising on GOP after Trump–DOJ fight’s latest turn

View in your browser     Pressure rising on GOP after Trump–DOJ fight’s latest turn Republican senators who have warned the White House for months not to interfere with special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation are coming under new pressure given President Trump’s latest demands for the Department of Justice. Read the full story here           Did a friend forward you this email? Sign up for News Alerts     Forward News Alerts     You Might Like       Privacy Policy  |  Manage Subscriptions  |  Unsubscribe  |  Email to a friend  |  Sign Up for Other Newsletters   The Hill 1625 K Street, NW 9th Floor, Washington DC 20006 ©2016 Capitol Hill Publishing Corp., a subsidiary of News Communications, Inc.

Hillicon Valley: Mnuchin urges antitrust review of tech | Progressives want to break up Facebook | Classified election security briefing set for Tuesday | Tech CEOs face pressure to appear before Congress

View in Browser     The Cyber and Tech Overnights have joined forces to give you Hillicon Valley, The Hill's new comprehensive newsletter detailing all you need to know about the tech and cyber news from Capitol Hill to Silicon Valley.   Welcome! Follow the cyber team, (Morgan Chalfant (@mchalfant16) and Olivia Beavers (@olivia_beavers), and the tech team, Ali Breland (@alibreland) and Harper Neidig (@hneidig), on Twitter. Contact us with scoops, tips, comments, and good vibes for the Houston Rockets.   PROGRESSIVES PUSH TO BREAK UP FACEBOOK: A coalition of progressive groups and trade associations is demanding that the FTC break up Facebook by forcing it to unload subsidiaries like WhatsApp and Instagram. The new "Freedom from Facebook" campaign also wants the agency to implement new privacy rules to give users more control over their data. The groups involved include MoveOn, Demand Progress, the Open Markets Institute and the Content Creators Coalition. Key quote: "Facebook unilaterally decides the news that billions of people around the world see every day. It buys up or bankrupts potential competitors to protect its monopoly, killing innovation and choice. It tracks us almost everywhere we go on the web and, through our smartphones, even where we go in the real world," the groups wrote on their website. The campaign will also be pushing a six-figure ad buy that will even reach Facebook's own platforms. Don't forget: The FTC is currently investigating whether the social network violated a 2011 consent agreement with the agency in its role in the Cambridge Analytica scandal. What to watch for: It's unclear how receptive the agency will be to these suggestions. The new leadership is being closely watched for any signs it plans to go after the internet giants who have been under scrutiny for months. What we know so far: FTC Chairman Joseph Simons tapped an industry lawyer who's represented Facebook as the head of the agency's Consumer Protection Bureau. That could be good for Facebook. But Rohit Chopra, a Democratic FTC commissioner, argued in a policy paper earlier this month that the agency should crack down on companies for violating consent agreements (like the ones that Facebook and Google are currently subject to.) To read more about the new campaign against Facebook, click here.   TECH CRITICS FIND AN UNLIKELY ALLY: Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin called for the Justice Department to investigate big tech companies for antitrust violations in a new interview today. "These issues deserve to be reviewed carefully," Mnuchin said in a CNBC interview. He was responding to a recent report on CBS News's "60 Minutes" about antitrust concerns over Google. "These are issues the Justice Department needs to look at seriously, not for any one company, but as these technology companies have a greater and greater impact on the economy," Mnuchin continued. To read more, click here.   CONGRESS TO GET ELECTION SECURITY BRIEFING BRIGHT AND EARLY TUESDAY: House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) has rescheduled a briefing for Congress on election security, which will now be classified, for Tuesday morning. Top U.S. officials are expected to brief lawmakers behind closed doors on current threats and risks to the election process and efforts by the Trump administration to help state officials secure their digital voting assets from hackers. The briefing will take place at 8 a.m. and will be classified, according to an aide for Ryan. The briefing was originally expected to take place last Thursday and be unclassified but closed to the public. Ryan postponed the briefing last week in order to make it classified, after Democrats complained that the unclassified nature would prevent officials from going into sufficient detail about the scope of the threat or the administration's efforts to secure upcoming elections.   Why it's happening: Officials have grown increasingly wary of digital threats to future elections following Russia's interference in the 2016 presidential contest, which included efforts to target and hack into state electoral systems, like voter registration databases. What they'll hear about: The Department of Homeland Security has been working to provide state election officials with cybersecurity vulnerability assessments and other services in order to ensure that their digital systems are secure and resilient and to bolster confidence in the vote. For more on the meeting, click here.   IT'S OFFICIAL: The Federal Communications Commission is investigating reports that U.S.-based LocationSmart exposed data on the precise location of mobile devices on its website because of a software flaw. A spokesperson for the FCC confirmed to The Hill in an email that "the matter has been referred to the Enforcement Bureau." For more on the revelations about LocationSmart, check out our piece from last week.   ON THE INTERNATIONAL FRONT: Acting Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Claire Grady is traveling to Bulgaria later this week to participate in the U.S.-EU Justice and Home Affairs Ministerial. At the event, she'll touch gloves with international counterparts on issues including counterterrorism, cybersecurity, aviation security, and "vetting measures," the Department of Homeland Security said Monday. The ministerial is set to take place Tuesday and Wedensday.   WE'VE GOT A DEAL: President Trump and the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Monday reached an agreement to allow the inspector general to investigate conservative claims of FBI wrongdoing in the Russia probe, diffusing at least for now a burgeoning crisis between Trump and senior law enforcement officials.    "Based on the meeting with the President, the Department of Justice has asked the Inspector General to expand its current investigation to include any irregularities with the Federal Bureau of Investigation's or the Department of Justice's tactics concerning the Trump Campaign," White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a statement. The Justice Department had already made the referral to Inspector General Michael Horowitz on Sunday, in an apparent effort to ratchet down tensions. But the White House also announced that Chief of Staff John Kelly will "immediately set up a meeting" with Trump allies on Capitol Hill to "review" the classified materials that had sparked the standoff. Our national security reporter, Katie Bo Williams, has more here.   TRUMP WELCOMES NEW CIA CHIEF: President Trump officially welcomed his new CIA director, Gina Haspel, delivering remarks at her swearing-in on Monday. Among the highlights: the president lauded House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) as "a very courageous man."   SINCLAIR-TRIBUNE MERGER BACK UP FOR DEBATE: The FCC is re-opening its review of the $3.9 billion Sinclair-Tribune merger for public comment after the companies proposed restructuring the deal to bring it in line with ownership restrictions. The public will have until July 12 to weigh in.   ZUCKERBERG'S EU TESTIMONY WILL BE LIVESTREAMED: Mark Zuckerberg's meeting with the EU Parliament tomorrow will be livestreamed. Some legislators had criticized the previous plan to hold the hearing behind closed doors.   PRESSURE BUILDS FOR OTHER TECH CEOS TO TESTIFY: Check out our piece from the weekend on how tech CEOs not named Zuckerberg are facing more pressure to testify in front of Congress. Two top Republicans, Rep. Greg Walden (Ore.) and Sen. John Thune (S.D.), both gently urged Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey to come before Congress while his company isn't facing Cambridge Analytica-sized drama.   NO SURPRISE THERE: Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Sunday that it isn't surprising that China's president asked President Trump to look into the Chinese telecommunications firm sanctioned by the U.S. government. "President Xi [Jinping] asked President Trump to look into this. That's not a surprise," Mnuchin told "Fox News Sunday." Mnuchin said Trump, who received criticism last week after saying he would help ZTE get "back into business," is working to protect American jobs and technology. "The president wants us to be very tough on ZTE. And all he did was ask the secretary to look into this," Mnuchin said, referring to Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle raised concerns over Trump's recent tweets about ZTE. The Commerce Department earlier this year prohibited American companies from selling materials to ZTE, claiming the firm had violated U.S. sanctions. Meanwhile, Larry Kudlow, Trump's economic adviser, insisted Monday that ZTE would not get off "scot-free." "They broke the law on several occasions after being warned," Kudlow said during an appearance on CNBC.   A LIGHTER TWITTER CLICK: Late-breaking development on the monkey on the loose at the San Antonio airport.   ON TAP: House lawmakers will be briefed behind closed doors on election security Tuesday at 8 a.m. The House Science Committee has scheduled a hearing on "empowering U.S. veterans through technology" for Tuesday morning. House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) and Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) are cohosting an election security forum Tuesday evening at Richard Montgomery High School in Maryland, which will feature officials from the Election Assistance Commission.   LONGREAD OF THE DAY: The Ringer has an oral history of tech's first major antitrust court fight. The story breaks down Microsoft's antitrust case, with perspectives from people who saw it firsthand in the 90s.   NOTABLE LINKS FROM AROUND THE WEB: A new survey from the Brookings Institution explores attitudes toward AI. (Brookings) "Why our nuclear weapons can be hacked." (New York Times op-ed) An Israeli company wants to help governments implement citywide surveillance. (CyberScoop) Survey: Election systems are still vulnerable. (The Washington Post) Meet the Israeli company ready to sell citywide surveillance. (CyberScoop) A California politician is now trying to run attack ads centered on Bitcoin. (Axios) States launch new offensive on cryptocurrency schemes. (Washington Post)           Did a friend forward you this email? Sign up for Technology Newsletters     Forward Technology Newsletters       Privacy Policy  |  Manage Subscriptions  |  Unsubscribe  |  Email to a friend  |  Sign Up for Other Newsletters   The Hill 1625 K Street, NW 9th Floor, Washington DC 20006 ©2016 Capitol Hill Publishing Corp., a subsidiary of News Communications, Inc.